Starry Night
by Regularamanda
Summary: Just an ordinary starry night that changes both of their lives forever. Fluff. Set after Threads. Written for Ship Day 2011.


_Author's Note- Written for Ship Day 2011 and story #7 Stars for my table at 100_tales on livejournal. _

**Starry Night**

Night has fallen over the quiet Minnesota landscape. The light from the porch fell across the backyard, illuminating the dark outdoors.

Jack O'Neill has one of his arms filled with blankets and thermoses as he walks down to the river's edge, Samantha Carter walking right beside him.

On impulse he reaches out his free hand to her, she smiles at him before entwining her hand with his.

He briefly wonders if this is a date...a first date...he's going to home world security in Washington and she's transferring to Area 51...there's nothing standing in their way. But he quickly shakes the thought from his head. Coming up here had been a way for her to get some relaxation after her dad's death and to get some team time in before they all went their separate ways.

They haven't even talked about why she came to his house that day...she'd told him that she'd ended it with Pete...but she never said why, never gave any hints to why she didn't take the happily ever after the other man was offering. He didn't push her for answers. But in the back of his mind...he hoped.

He walks with her to the waters edge, loving the feel of her hand in his. Not that he hasn't before, but this time there's something different about it. It's as if her hand belongs in his...as if her hand belonged here all along.

Carefully he sets the blankets down on the hard ground. They lie down next to each other, and look up at the stars.

"You know...as much as those other constellations on those other planets are pretty cool to look at...nothing really beats these ones," he says as he waves his hand at the small points of light above them.

Sam nods her head. "I know what you mean. I dreamed of those stars for so long...never thought I'd actually be out their exploring the planets."

"Yes...never thought we'd be getting our asses kicked by the goa'uld and being in mortal peril every time we step through the gate either..." he says sarcastically.

"Our asses won't get kicked quite as bad now." she says teasingly.

"Ahhh...that'll be nice." Not having to worry about the woman he loved never making it back home on a mission he sent her on...not having to worry about her every time she stepped through the gate. Yeah, that'll be nice.

They stare at the stars, enjoying the sounds of the darkness and the comfortable silence that had fallen between them.

"You know, as a kid, dad would always bring me out with my telescope, teaching me all about the stars...I missed that as I got older, " she whispers sadly.

Jack turns to her slightly. "C'mere" he says softly as he wraps an arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him.

She sighs gently and snuggles ever so slight into him. "This is nice" she says softly enough that he almost misses it.

This is a whole hell of a lot better than nice, he thinks.

"Mmmmhhh"

"Jack?" she whispers.

He's startled slightly by the sound of his name...he can count the number of times he's heard his name on her lips. He turns to her, a question in his eyes.

She looks him in the eyes for a few seconds before her gaze falls to his lips. Slowly, ever so slowly, she leans forward and presses her lips to his.

In an instant one hand snakes around her waist pulling her closer to him, while the other hand goes up to caress her cheek.

Kissing Samantha Carter is just as wonderful as it was all those years ago in the time loop. Her lips are soft and warm and inviting. She fits into his arms perfectly. Everything about it is perfect. While his world doesn't crumble beneath him, it does shift ever so slightly. A good shift. A shift that's been eight years in the making.

She pulls back slightly, uncertainty circling in her eyes.

"When can we do that again?" he whispers as his gaze falls to her lips. She laughs and pulls herself closer to him, and he knows without looking that the uncertainty is gone from her eyes.

Her laughter fills the stillness of the night before he quickly and efficiently silences her with a kiss. This one is different than the last. This one is born of eight years of pent up emotions and feelings that they've never been able to show and express. This is a kiss that's long overdue. It's passionate and born of so many years of pent up sexual tension. He doesn't want this one to ever end.

But he thinks...he has a lot of years to make up for.

It's only after his brain has short circuited from the feel of her lips on his that he finally realizes...this is a date. Huh. Who'd have thought?

_Author's Note- Thanks for reading! If you liked it, let me know! _


End file.
